Eyes Wide Open is a new project from Privacy International, a UK Charity. The goals of the project are to:
1. Pry open the Five Eyes arrangement and subject the world’s most powerful and secret intelligence-sharing regime to appropriate transparency and scrutiny
2. Challenge the legal frameworks that enable global surveillance practices, and particularly that discriminate between nationals and foreigners with respect to human rights obligations
3. Promote an understanding of human rights obligations as applying to all individuals under a State’s jurisdiction, regardless of their location
4. Campaign for policies that bring intelligence agencies under the rule of law
The “Five Eyes arrangement” refers to the group of five English-speaking countries (US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) whose sole goal is to keep a tab on anything and everything that moves or does not move in the world through secret, invasive and indiscriminate surveillance.
By the way, Privacy International that defines its purpose as follows:
We investigate the secret world of government surveillance and expose the companies enabling it. We litigate to ensure that surveillance is consistent with the rule of law. We advocate for strong national, regional, and international laws that protect privacy. We conduct research to catalyse policy change. We raise awareness about technologies and laws that place privacy at risk, to ensure that the public is informed and engaged.
The organization has published a special 42-page report (pdf) on this project.
